Subscribe to this blog

Follow Gem City Images by Email.

Search This Blog

rePlanet Recycle

I recently noticed that the lines of people, each with several large bags of plastic bottles, have pretty much disappeared from these local machines. Turns out that the automated machines no longer accept plastic bottles, just aluminum cans and glass bottles. You can still recycle and get money for the plastic bottles, you just have to have the attendant weigh them for you.

I wonder why this change was made and how people will react. Will they continue to use this rePlanet, go somewhere else or just recycle less?

California law allows you the option of being paid based on count instead of weight for up to 50 empty beverage containers of each material type.

This means you can bring up to 50 aluminum, 50 glass, 50 plastic and 50 bi-metal California Redemption Value containers in a single visit and request to be paid by count.

Consumers can also make more than one visit per day to a recycling center and be paid by count on each visit. Recycling centers are required to comply with this rule, found in the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 5, Section 2535(b).

Any consumer who has been denied this right by a recycling center can file a complaint by emailing CalRecycle or by calling 1-800-RECYCLE.

Keith, you're correct, the recycling machines are temporarily not accepting plastic. However the attendant will still recycle your plastic beverage containers by count (up to 50 pieces of each material) or weight.

There is a red sign posted at every rePLANET location explaining the temporary change in the machines and the right to be paid based on count.

Please visit www.replanetusa.com if you have any questions and for updates regarding plastic being accepted through the machines.

The weight of the plastic bottles has changed recently, not the refund rate per pound for plastic. The change in the weight of the bottles has caused the 'error' and is being resolved. The manufacturers did not forsee that a lighter bottle would cause an issue when caluculating its refund.

Thank you for your patience during this time and please do ask for a count in the meanwhile.